FASHIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 168, 15 July 1908, Page 11

FASHIONS.

FORTHCOMING STYLES. . . ; There are again rumous to the effect that tunics, double skirts, and draperies, ■will be worn as spring, advances, but bo iar these styles #ire littfe (seen: Skirts are either tightly-fitting over the hips and flowing out from thence to the hem or gathered into the waist all round, and at present there seems little likelihood of any change. The Princess gown is still enjoying an immense vogue, DRESS OF TO-DAY. Flounces are by no means out of fashon, and circular ones have come back to us with the circular skirt, while ruffles of lace or qny other fine material trim m'anv" of'"the (smartest evening gowns. Flat trimmings, such as braid, are newer, however, and many dressmakers are quite enamoured of this form, of adornment. Skirt trimmings are varied and interesting this •winter, though the day of fussiness in this particular is past, and most of the new skirts give a general impression of simplicity. A DBESS FOB, SWEET SIXTEEN. How are we to dress our girls ? Mothers sometimes appeal to mc for designs for their daughters of sweet sixteen, plaintively announcing that at that age girls are always so difficult to dress. Pleated skirts offer themselves as a solution of the problem, carried several inches above the natural waist-line, but most neatly stitched down to a depth of many inches below it, so that all clumsiness of aspect be avoided. WHEATEAKS TRIM NEWEST MILLINERY. Wheatears as a mililnery adornment are worn this spring. How the far mers would stare in amazement if the; saw such corn. in their fields! The are made of gold and silver, and are dyed in every known colour, blue and magenta ranking high on the list. A bunch of wheatears plays the obliging part of trimming a morning hat, usually assumed by a handful of quills, though without usurping the .office entirely, for indeed quills arc supremely ■modish at present, and are produced in every shade of colour, including Mandarin, vert-de-gris, pearl, and every variety of that most fashionable dye, grey. THE CHARM OF THE TEA GOWN. It is just at the present season of the year, when the days begin to grow appreciably shorter, and when the severest of tailor-made gowns are de rigueur in the morning, and even in the early afternoon, that the charm of the tea-gown most strongly asserts itself. It gains, no doubt, by comparison with the closefitting, cut-away coat and waistcoat in

A ' PICTURESQUE TEA GOWN. tweed or serge, and the stiff white linen collar and formal cravat, which, with a perfectly plain skirt and something more or less manly in the way of headgear, are worn as a rule in the morning. No matter how simple her tailor-made frocks may be, the woman who is really fond of her clothes and interested in their designing, will always be anxious to express something of her o-wn individuality in her tea-gowns. In the case of garments of this description no hard and fast rules are laid down by Dame Fashion. Only let your tea-gown be picturesque and becoming, and all other considerations may at once be set aside. Colour, fabric, design—ail may be just as you' please, so only that the finai result may be a graceful one. The tea-gown which we illustrate is a case in point, since the style belongs to no particular period, and will not, therefore, bear its date, while the colourings are of the most delightfully harmonious description. The gown is, moreover, so cleverly contrived that it can be worn with equal success with or -without the long stole ends which, as a matter of fact, form a separate little garment of them selves. Fashioned in ivory-white chiffon voile, with large woven white satin spots, the full, flowing under-robe is perfectly simple. At the waist and again higher up on the bodice, soft folds of real green velvet may be seen. Worn over this soft robe, there 'are long stole ends of ivorywhite satin, exactly similar back and front, and finished with long silk fringe. The upper part forms a kind of pinafore bodice, connected on the shoulders by three wide straps of leaf-green velvet. The same idea Is repeated at the waist, and there is yet another drapery of velvet across the front, held in place by jewelled buttons, and finished on one side with a bunch of loops. An exquisite embroidery lends a special attractiveness to these long stole ends. Long sprays and garlands of roses, some pale pink, some delicate yellow, and some deep crimson are worked upon the ivorywhite satin background in fine soft silks, each flower surrounded by its natural foliage. The work is so finely and beautifuiiy done that the flowers and leaves lookas though they were painted rather than embroidered upon the ivory-white ground. Worth noting also is the graceful way in which soft folds of leal-green velvet are draped in the hair.

For -wearing with a skirt of the same material, here is a pretty blouse. This in golden brown silk with brown and gold filet net and gold tassels, would make a charming utility gown. The gown in our sketch is of palest blue soft satin-faced cloth, with one of the new skirts, arranged with a drapery which comes to a point in front, while at the back it loses itself in the graceful folds of a wide pleat, arranged to give a semi-Empire effect. This pleat is met at the top by soft folds of cloth, which cross over at the back of the bodice, each one held in place by a large cloth-covered button. The bodice ia

GOWN IN.BALE PASTEL BLUB •CLOTH. very becomingly arranged both back and front with a chemisette of ivory-white net, very finely tucked, bordered with a fold of silver tissue, and white silk embroidery. The cloth sleeves are draped closely to the arm, and finished just belowttie elbow with a tiny puff of thq tucked net, turned back with a narrow cuff of white silk embroidery, laid upon silver tissue. A pink rose tucked into the front of the bodice gives a , welcome touch of colour to this pale blue gown.